Every day's a party day

Mom & Hannah came to visit this week and we they've been a lot of fun. Fortunately for them (and unfortunately for me) I got sick and we had to do a lot of relaxing. Truth be told, I think that's the kind of vacation Mom dreams of. We still managed to get some shopping done. In fact I found a great changing table/dresser at the thrift store. It is much better for Helen's clothes and we now have a place to changer her when all of her stuff gets moved off of my dresser.

Hannah had her 16th birthday on Thursday and we decided to celebrate for three days in a row. It all started with Mom having the foresight to suggest making the Snickers Trifle early so that we could enjoy it all week. Good thing we had three days of random gifts ready for such an extended event. For her birthday dinner Hannah wanted to eat Mexican food so we ventured into the Latino neighborhood of Omaha and ate at the Taqueria Tijuana. It was pretty authentic, I don't think anyone there spoke English, and the food was really good. Then for a good time Ryan took us home by way of neighborhood's main drag. We were the only vehicle cruising without a spoiler or two. Mom and Hannah through we were in another country when they saw a sharp-looking caballero crossing the street wearing a white suit with matching cowboy hat & boots.

Mom and Hannah's tour 2008 has moved onto Iowa for now. Be sure to check out the video Hannah made of her trifle-making experience (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4CyGMS2IxU).

The Hackett Hostel

This week the Hancocks visited us on their way home from their 10 day American-Heritage Camping Extravaganza. Per Emily's request, the bathwater was ready for the boys upon arrival. I don't think we've ever seen them so wiped-out, with the exception of Zach who did muster enough energy to run around the house with Ryan's plastic cricket bat.

Housekeeping got the towels and linens replaced just in time for a visit the next day from Ryan's mom and brother Nate. They took lots of turns holding Helen and rocking her to sleep. Nate's favorite game was trying to make her smile, and he got pretty good at it. Between Helen's mealtimes we squeezed in some bowling, a trip to the Bass Pro Shop/Museum, and the Mormon Pioneer Center at Winter Quarters.

The 4th of July in Nebraska is as close as we've been to a war zone in our lives. Fireworks are legal here, and any number of giant inflatable gorillas and dinosaurs are willing to sell them to you. We went to a BBQ with our intern friends in a rougher part of town where families throw fireworks at each other for a good time (I have since found out that my Dad did the same thing on the streets of D.C. when he was a kid). Maybe next year Brice can teach us how to make our own explosives. We hear he had some experience with smoke bombs as a kid and more recently with natural gas tank valves (we're referring all questions to the Chilean Police).